Thursday, May 15, 2008

PENANG: The Penang Bridge Run 2008 has been cancelled due to financial and manpower constraints.The organisers will also not be able to ensure the safety of participants on the bridge, which is undergoing renovation work and is narrower now.Malaysian Highway Authority director-general Datuk Mohamad Razali Othman said last year’s event had “drained all our financial sources to host the event this year.”He said the highway authority would need more than RM500,000 to host the run and did not want to tax their sponsors to fund the event.Last year’s run, to commemorate the country’s 50th anniversary and Visit Malaysia 2007, drew 21,399 runners including some 800 participants from 50 countries.The event featured a 42.2km full marathon, a 22.3km half marathon, a 10km quarter marathon and a newly introduced 10km fun run which attracted more than 8,000 participants. There were 11 categories altogether.Mohamad Razali said the highway authority might organise the marathon next year after the bridge-widening project had been completed and if they were enough funds.He said highway authority decided to cancel the run at the end of March and had informed the Penang Tourism Action Council.